Childhood obesity is something we always hear about in the news. Children of today’s generation are more susceptible to gaining weight due to several factors in their lifestyle. This includes the abundance of fast foods accessible to them and their dependence on entertainment technologies such as tv, video games, and the internet. In this assignment we will discuss the statistics of childhood obesity, the factors causing it, the media’s role, health concerns, and ways to fight it. We will also briefly discuss our communication strategy for spreading awareness about childhood obesity to the public.
The Reality of Today's Youth
Statistics
The average American has been said to consume as much food as 32 Kenyans (Francavilla, 2008). The World Bank estimates that more than 1.1 billion people remain hungry and live below the poverty line, whereas developed nations waste and consume more food than ever before (Medrek, 2008). In North American countries, the obesity rate has almost doubled over the last 25 years (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2011). Approximately 1 in 3 children is obese, with the rate still rising (Francavilla, 2008). At the rate of which obesity amongst children is rising, it is predicted that obesity will be the number one killer around the world by 2030(Francavilla, 2008).
If we do not take action now, obesity rates will continue to rise and our children and the future generations will be infested with disease and illness. Children who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of being diagnosed with health issues such as diabetes, live disease, joint problems and heart disease (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2011). Obesity tends to carry on from childhood into adulthood, cutting off an additional 3-7 years of a person’s life—this would be the same result if that individual were a smoker (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2011). It is estimated that diseases resulting from obesity in children are expected to rise up to 50% within the next 10 years (Kielburger, 2008).This is why it is crucial to target the younger audience; they are the future. By eliminating the problem from the source, we can prevent it from becoming out of control.
Survey
After conducting a survey in a third grade class at a public elementary school, we found some interesting results regarding children and their eating habits. We first asked if the students have breakfast every morning. The results showed that 21 of the 27 children interviewed (78%) said they have breakfast every morning; 22% of children were not having breakfast in the morning.
We then asked if the students brought a lunch and/or snacks with them to school every day. Every student said yes to both questions. We were curious to know what students were bringing to school as their snacks, whether they were healthy snacks like fruit or if they were unhealthy like chocolate bars and chips. Only 3 out of 27 said they brought something healthy. That leaves 89% of this class consuming junk food as a snack.like chocolate bars and chips. Only 3 out of 27 said they brought something healthy. That leaves 89% of this class consuming junk food as a snack.
Graph shows how many students have breakfast, as well as bring lunch and snacks every day
Graph shows how many students have breakfast, as well as bring lunch and snacks every day
We proceeded to ask how many meals each child was having a day. Out of the 27 surveyed, 2 said they have 2 meals a day, 10 said they have 3 meals a day, 14 said they have 4 meals a day, and 1 said they have 5 meals a day. It’s important to have smaller meals more often than have large meals less often. This is so the body can digest easier; food does not stay sitting in your stomach for long periods of time. Having smaller meals also keeps your metabolism going, allowing your body to digest food at a faster pace.
Next, we asked how many times each child consumes fast food during a week. 4 children stated they only consume fast food 0-2 times a week. 18 students said they consumed fast food 3-6 times in a week, and 5 said they consume fast food 7 times or more during the week. These numbers are far too large than what one would expect them to be.
MannNavjot_graph2.jpg
After asking all of these questions regarding what children bring to school and eat at home, we asked if they would enjoy having a cafeteria in the school that would provide healthier meal options. 22 children said yes, while 5 said no. We feel the 5 that said no probably said no because having a cafeteria would limit the junk food they were allowed to bring in from home to eat during their lunch. Last, we asked that if a cafeteria were to be built, if children would prefer healthy, well balanced choices or food containing high amounts of fat and sodium. 17 children said they would prefer fast food, leaving only 10 in favour of having well-balanced options.
Factors Causing Child Obesity
Physical Activity
Physical activity plays a vital role in the body mass of children and adolescents and can be divided into two simple events: a lack of physical activity and excessive inactivity. A study in South Carolina discovered that children that participated in the least amount of vigorous physical activity or the most television viewing tended to be the most overweight individuals out of the sample. The study presented evidence revealing that the risk of obesity of children (male and female) in Mexico City decreased by ten percent per hour of physical activity and increased by twelve percent for each hour of television viewing (Ebbeling et al. 2002).
An experiment was conducted by our group in which a sample of children (Grades 5-7) from various elementary schools were asked general questions about their levels of physical activity on a weekly basis. About forty-five percent of the children were enrolled in some sort of after school activity (baseball, hockey, swimming etc.) while the other fifty five percent did not participate in any such activities.
Despite the relatively higher energy levels children have compared to adults, children still susceptible to obesity if they do not use the energy provided by their bodies. If a child does not partake in a form of physical endurance the energy created stays within their bodies and turn to fat. In a study conducted by several professors at the University of Texas School of Public Health, they observed fifth-graders’ physical activity in their neighbourhood in several different neighbourhoods. The study concluded that physical environmental factors (high or low temperatures and precipitation) had little or no effect on the correlation between physical activity and obesity (Franzini et al. 2009).
Diet
Children’s diets, if abused play a vital role in the development of obesity. Generally fast food, or foods loaded with sugar, starch, or fat are the main threats to a child’s diet. Although children have generally higher metabolisms than adults, their bodies struggle to break down junk foods more than balanced meals. Over time, these foods full of useless energy build up as fat and contribute to weight gain.
In addition to an excessive intake of junk food, child obesity can be cause by imbalanced diets. Since proteins, carbohydrates and other forms of molecular bodies are found in different food groups, balanced diets are also a key factor in maintaining normal body mass indexes. Weight gain can occur when there is a lack or excess of food from one particular food group. The digestive track is also an important part of a child’s body that can be affected by imbalanced diets as fibre (often found in grain and vegetables) cleanses the intestines. Without vegetables and whole grain products (which is usually the case among obese children), the body cannot properly pass the food through the digestive track and as a result waste remains in the intestines. This waste is then transformed into fats that now must be burned instead of excreted through bowel movements (Burrows et al. 2010).
Lifestyle
With various distractions available for today’s youth, combinations of physical activity (or lack of) and poorly planned diets provide the ideal environment for child obesity to occur. Television viewing is particularly threatening children with obesity since it fulfills both conditions of physical activity – these children not only lack physical activity but ingest high energy foods simultaneously.
Activities such as Web surfing and gaming have become much more prevalent in today’s youth as those markets have grown significantly within the past decade. This laid back attitude is created through the relative ease of entertainment provided by these types of activities; they stimulate the brain with little effort and can go on for hours at a time. In addition, fast food diets are a growing trend in today’s youth and a study conducted by T. Burrows states that the average child and adolescent ingests fast food meals at least three times a week. This is the result of an increase of “cost effective” value meals appearing in almost every fast food chain (Burrows et al. 2010). Also, when both parents are working, they might not have the time to cook a healthy meal for their kids and it's much easier to leave them with money to order food instead.
Role of Media in Childhood Obesity
In recent years our society has been increasingly observant of the substantial rise in childhood obesity. The time period in which childhood obesity has seen such an extensive rise (1990-2000) correlates to the same time period in which we observed a major explosion in children related media which includes their television networks, video games and internet websites. Several studies have shown that children spend on average 5 and a half hour a day using media and basically the most time they spend on anything else besides sleeping (Roberts and Foehr, 2004). The staggering fact is that even preschoolers and youths 5 and under spend as much time in media related activities as they do playing outdoors (Rideout, 2003). This decrease in activity level simply relates to the fact that children find technology very intriguing and fascinating which can sometimes result in media addiction and dependence, though it is interesting to note that this dependence is not only specific to young children but old and young alike are very stimulated by this phenomenon.
Child development experts and media researchers have pointed out the cases which can contribute to childhood obesity these entail that the time children spend on media related activities could be spent on physical activity which can substantially lower the risk of childhood obesity. Another influence that can be a large cause of allurement is television advertisements that sway children to make unhealthy and wrong food choices which are high in calories and fat. These include commercials for candy, cereals and fast food restaurants that sometimes use the method of cross promotion between specific food products and famous television characters that encourage buyers into consuming unhealthy foods. Research shows that the majority of ads that are targeted for children are food which in totality equals to an astonishing one food commercial every 5 minutes.
Nonetheless it will be confirming to know that this phenomenon has caught the eye of many alike and as a rule many policies are being undertaken in the coming years with the conjunction of health officials and media gurus. Some networks have implemented the provision of “equal time” on messages about fitness and nutrition that contrast or counteract the food ads on these shows. Others have shown interest in banning or eliminating food product placement in children’s programming and cross promotion tactics. These actions whether voluntary or targeted are supporting the decades long unheard voices of child advocates and policymakers. They aim to combine public education with healthy eating promotions and more physical activity and also incorporate the very crucial message of healthy eating in children programming in all source of outlets.
Health Problems associated with Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity causes a wide range of serious complications and can increase the risk of premature illnesses and death later in life. Obese children are at a greater risk of becoming obese adults because a child’s body will create more fat cells when fats are stored (Clayson, 2007). As a result, obese children will have two to five times more fat cells compared to a normal child. As fat cells eventually stop to increase, adults will have a fixed amount of fat cells throughout their lives (Clayson, 2007). For this reason, obese children have bodies that are structured to store fat that is often carried into their adulthood (Clayson, 2007). Therefore, overweight children will find it twice as difficult for them to lose weight.
Obesity can cause a variety of chronic health problems in a child’s life. These include high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma, heart disease, heart attack and diabetes as well as psychological and social problems.
Obese children are at a greater risk to develop diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed among adults (Clayson, 2007). However, obese children are experiencing this condition because of unhealthy process of body sugars. Type 2 diabetes causes the body not to produce enough insulin and causes the cells ignore the insulin, which in turn starves the body's cells for energy (Clayson, 2007). In addition, high blood glucose levels may hurt the kidneys, heart, eyes and organs. Unfortunately, once a child develops type 2 diabetes, he or she will not be cured; instead, they can only be treated (Clayson, 2007). This health problem can also lead to blindness and heart disease. Obese children are much more likely to develop heart disease before the age of thirty and have an increased chance of dying of it when they become middle aged adults (Schoenstadt, 2010). Obese children are also at a much higher risk of developing high blood pressure, which is very dangerous as they mature into adulthood.
Obesity among children can lead to cardiovascular diseases which are caused due to accumulation of fat in arteries (Thompson, 2010). The accumulation of fat proves to be a block for blood circulation and the heart has to pump blood with a greater force, which increases the risk of heart attack. Obese children are also subject to sleep apnea, also known as trouble sleeping, which is a serious breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep (Thompson, 2010). When this happens, obese children are more likely to experience fatigue, headaches, memory loss, and difficulties in learning and concentration. Moreover, obese children are at a higher risk for joint diseases which limit physical activity and result in painful bodily aches. The excess weight of body fat puts a lot of pressure on joints and bones, including the knees, the back, the ankles, and hips (Thompson, 2010).
Apart from physical health problems, obese children may develop various psychological and social problems especially when they are a target of bullying and/or social discrimination from their classmates at school. The psychological and social stigma that is associated with obesity can be more traumatic during childhood and adolescence and it can lead to low self-esteem and depression (McKinney, 2010).
Fighting Childhood Obesity
When it comes to reducing childhood obesity, parents play an important role. It is up to parents to take charge of what their children eat and to guide them in making healthy food choices. Kids should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole-wheat grain products. It is important that parents read labels when buying their groceries and that they learn about what is healthy and what is not so they could pass that information to their kids. Parents need to be a role model for their kids when it comes to having a healthy diet. If parents spoil themselves with junk and fast food, then their kids see nothing wrong with eating those kinds of things. Actions speak louder than words, so if parents eat healthy, then their kids will be more likely to follow. Parents need to teach their kids to make a habit out of eating healthy. To do this, they can prepare and eat together as a family. Parents often order take out or fast food because they are too busy to make a home-cooked meal. That’s understandable, but they need to make time for a family dinner.
Parents need to limit fast food and take out, because too much of that stuff can add a lot of calories. Parents also need to limit soda drinks for their kids, because they contain high amounts of sugar. A can of coke contains about 40 grams (around 9 teaspoons) of sugar (Onecanofsoda.com). Unfortunately, kids would rather reach for a can of coke than a bottle of water when they are thirsty. Also, parents need to make sure they are buying real fruit juice and should avoid “drinks” such as “fruit drink” or “grape drink” because these kinds of juice actually contain little or no real fruit and are composed of sugar and artificial flavors and coloring. When it comes to salt, you can substitute that with other herbs and spices to add flavor. Children love to eat “grab and go” snacks, but unfortunately, the snacks they choose are junk foods such as chips or cookies. These kinds of food need to be treated as “treats” that can be eaten every now and then, but not all the time. They can be replaced with healthy and still tasty snacks like vegetables and dip, homemade popsicles, granola bars, or trail mix. Healthy food doesn’t have to be a “bad” thing for kids. It could be tasty and something to enjoy, rather than forced. Also, studies by the American Journal of Epidemiology have shown that people who eat breakfast have lower rates of obesity. Children who don’t eat a healthy breakfast at home, will often end up buying food once they get to school which may be unhealthy for them.
Eating right is only the first step to fighting obesity. Children also need to remain active. According to the American Heart Association, Children and teens should have partake in at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day (American Heart Association). These 60 minutes don’t have to be continuous, they can be done in parts throughout the day. In order to get children to do physical activity, they must first get off the couch. Parents should limit the amount of time their kids spend on tv, video games, and the computer down to 2-3 hours a day. If your children are competitive, they can join their school sports teams or other organized sports leagues. However, some children might be overwhelmed with organized sports and would rather enjoy time with free play with family and friends. Parents should also spend time playing with their children. They can go for a family walk, bike ride, hiking, skating, etc. Most equipment required for sports are not very expensive either. A ball, jump rope, and Frisbee, are all very cheap. Whatever they are doing, it is important that they enjoy it because if they enjoy it, they will want to continue doing it. With the latest video gaming technology, such as the Nintendo Wii, Playstation Move, and Xbox kinect, children are now able to work out while playing video games. This could be a useful tool in curbing childhood obesity.
Conclusion
We have discussed the factors which lead to childhood obesity. It is due to a combination of poor health choices when eating food and lack of physical activity or exercise. This obesity can cause heart problems, asthma, high blood pressure, and a variety of other problems which usually are not found in children. Being overweight can also affect a child’s ability to get a good night’s sleep which will make them a more stressful person overall and can affect their performance at school. Making sure kids have a proper diet and that they get off the couch and exercise is their parent’s responsibility just as much as it is the kid’s. By being good role models, parents can help their kids adapt a healthier lifestyle. Our communication strategy for spreading awareness of this issue is to use various social media outlets, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube, to campaign the effects of childhood obesity to youth and parents and provide them with ways to live a healthier life.
Works Cited List Burrows T., Warren J.M., Collins C.E. “The impact of a child obesity treatment intervention on parent child-feeding practices. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity (2010): n.5 pg. 43-50. <http://resolver.scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/resolve/1747 7166/v05i0001/43_tioacotiopcp>, January 2010.
Ebbeling, Cara B., Pawiak, Dorota B., Ludwig, David S. “Childhood Obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure.” The Lancet (2002): n.360. <http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/tmp/11397014749801228678.pdf>, August 2002.
Franzini, L., Elliot, M., Cuccaro, P., Tortolero, S. “Influences of Physical and Social Neighbourhood Environments on Children’s Physical Activity and Obesity.” American Journal of Public Health (2008): n.99 pg. 271-278. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2622771/? tool=pmcentrez>, February 2009.
Ma, Y. Bertone, E. “Association between Eating Patterns and Obesity in a Free-living US Adult Population.” American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol 158, Issue 1. Pg. 85-92. Jan 2003 http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/158/1/85.full
Childhood Obesity
Introduction
Childhood obesity is something we always hear about in the news. Children of today’s generation are more susceptible to gaining weight due to several factors in their lifestyle. This includes the abundance of fast foods accessible to them and their dependence on entertainment technologies such as tv, video games, and the internet. In this assignment we will discuss the statistics of childhood obesity, the factors causing it, the media’s role, health concerns, and ways to fight it. We will also briefly discuss our communication strategy for spreading awareness about childhood obesity to the public.
The Reality of Today's Youth
Statistics
The average American has been said to consume as much food as 32 Kenyans (Francavilla, 2008). The World Bank estimates that more than 1.1 billion people remain hungry and live below the poverty line, whereas developed nations waste and consume more food than ever before (Medrek, 2008). In North American countries, the obesity rate has almost doubled over the last 25 years (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2011). Approximately 1 in 3 children is obese, with the rate still rising (Francavilla, 2008). At the rate of which obesity amongst children is rising, it is predicted that obesity will be the number one killer around the world by 2030(Francavilla, 2008).
If we do not take action now, obesity rates will continue to rise and our children and the future generations will be infested with disease and illness. Children who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of being diagnosed with health issues such as diabetes, live disease, joint problems and heart disease (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2011). Obesity tends to carry on from childhood into adulthood, cutting off an additional 3-7 years of a person’s life—this would be the same result if that individual were a smoker (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2011). It is estimated that diseases resulting from obesity in children are expected to rise up to 50% within the next 10 years (Kielburger, 2008).This is why it is crucial to target the younger audience; they are the future. By eliminating the problem from the source, we can prevent it from becoming out of control.
Survey
After conducting a survey in a third grade class at a public elementary school, we found some interesting results regarding children and their eating habits. We first asked if the students have breakfast every morning. The results showed that 21 of the 27 children interviewed (78%) said they have breakfast every morning; 22% of children were not having breakfast in the morning.
We then asked if the students brought a lunch and/or snacks with them to school every day. Every student said yes to both questions. We were curious to know what students were bringing to school as their snacks, whether they were healthy snacks like fruit or if they were unhealthy like chocolate bars and chips. Only 3 out of 27 said they brought something healthy. That leaves 89% of this class consuming junk food as a snack.like chocolate bars and chips. Only 3 out of 27 said they brought something healthy. That leaves 89% of this class consuming junk food as a snack.
We proceeded to ask how many meals each child was having a day. Out of the 27 surveyed, 2 said they have 2 meals a day, 10 said they have 3 meals a day, 14 said they have 4 meals a day, and 1 said they have 5 meals a day. It’s important to have smaller meals more often than have large meals less often. This is so the body can digest easier; food does not stay sitting in your stomach for long periods of time. Having smaller meals also keeps your metabolism going, allowing your body to digest food at a faster pace.
Next, we asked how many times each child consumes fast food during a week. 4 children stated they only consume fast food 0-2 times a week. 18 students said they consumed fast food 3-6 times in a week, and 5 said they consume fast food 7 times or more during the week. These numbers are far too large than what one would expect them to be.
After asking all of these questions regarding what children bring to school and eat at home, we asked if they would enjoy having a cafeteria in the school that would provide healthier meal options. 22 children said yes, while 5 said no. We feel the 5 that said no probably said no because having a cafeteria would limit the junk food they were allowed to bring in from home to eat during their lunch. Last, we asked that if a cafeteria were to be built, if children would prefer healthy, well balanced choices or food containing high amounts of fat and sodium. 17 children said they would prefer fast food, leaving only 10 in favour of having well-balanced options.
Factors Causing Child Obesity
Physical Activity
Physical activity plays a vital role in the body mass of children and adolescents and can be divided into two simple events: a lack of physical activity and excessive inactivity. A study in South Carolina discovered that children that participated in the least amount of vigorous physical activity or the most television viewing tended to be the most overweight individuals out of the sample. The study presented evidence revealing that the risk of obesity of children (male and female) in Mexico City decreased by ten percent per hour of physical activity and increased by twelve percent for each hour of television viewing (Ebbeling et al. 2002).
An experiment was conducted by our group in which a sample of children (Grades 5-7) from various elementary schools were asked general questions about their levels of physical activity on a weekly basis. About forty-five percent of the children were enrolled in some sort of after school activity (baseball, hockey, swimming etc.) while the other fifty five percent did not participate in any such activities.
Despite the relatively higher energy levels children have compared to adults, children still susceptible to obesity if they do not use the energy provided by their bodies. If a child does not partake in a form of physical endurance the energy created stays within their bodies and turn to fat. In a study conducted by several professors at the University of Texas School of Public Health, they observed fifth-graders’ physical activity in their neighbourhood in several different neighbourhoods. The study concluded that physical environmental factors (high or low temperatures and precipitation) had little or no effect on the correlation between physical activity and obesity (Franzini et al. 2009).
Diet
Children’s diets, if abused play a vital role in the development of obesity. Generally fast food, or foods loaded with sugar, starch, or fat are the main threats to a child’s diet. Although children have generally higher metabolisms than adults, their bodies struggle to break down junk foods more than balanced meals. Over time, these foods full of useless energy build up as fat and contribute to weight gain.
In addition to an excessive intake of junk food, child obesity can be cause by imbalanced diets. Since proteins, carbohydrates and other forms of molecular bodies are found in different food groups, balanced diets are also a key factor in maintaining normal body mass indexes. Weight gain can occur when there is a lack or excess of food from one particular food group. The digestive track is also an important part of a child’s body that can be affected by imbalanced diets as fibre (often found in grain and vegetables) cleanses the intestines. Without vegetables and whole grain products (which is usually the case among obese children), the body cannot properly pass the food through the digestive track and as a result waste remains in the intestines. This waste is then transformed into fats that now must be burned instead of excreted through bowel movements (Burrows et al. 2010).
Lifestyle
With various distractions available for today’s youth, combinations of physical activity (or lack of) and poorly planned diets provide the ideal environment for child obesity to occur. Television viewing is particularly threatening children with obesity since it fulfills both conditions of physical activity – these children not only lack physical activity but ingest high energy foods simultaneously.
Activities such as Web surfing and gaming have become much more prevalent in today’s youth as those markets have grown significantly within the past decade. This laid back attitude is created through the relative ease of entertainment provided by these types of activities; they stimulate the brain with little effort and can go on for hours at a time. In addition, fast food diets are a growing trend in today’s youth and a study conducted by T. Burrows states that the average child and adolescent ingests fast food meals at least three times a week. This is the result of an increase of “cost effective” value meals appearing in almost every fast food chain (Burrows et al. 2010). Also, when both parents are working, they might not have the time to cook a healthy meal for their kids and it's much easier to leave them with money to order food instead.
Role of Media in Childhood Obesity
In recent years our society has been increasingly observant of the substantial rise in childhood obesity. The time period in which childhood obesity has seen such an extensive rise (1990-2000) correlates to the same time period in which we observed a major explosion in children related media which includes their television networks, video games and internet websites. Several studies have shown that children spend on average 5 and a half hour a day using media and basically the most time they spend on anything else besides sleeping (Roberts and Foehr, 2004). The staggering fact is that even preschoolers and youths 5 and under spend as much time in media related activities as they do playing outdoors (Rideout, 2003). This decrease in activity level simply relates to the fact that children find technology very intriguing and fascinating which can sometimes result in media addiction and dependence, though it is interesting to note that this dependence is not only specific to young children but old and young alike are very stimulated by this phenomenon.
Child development experts and media researchers have pointed out the cases which can contribute to childhood obesity these entail that the time children spend on media related activities could be spent on physical activity which can substantially lower the risk of childhood obesity. Another influence that can be a large cause of allurement is television advertisements that sway children to make unhealthy and wrong food choices which are high in calories and fat. These include commercials for candy, cereals and fast food restaurants that sometimes use the method of cross promotion between specific food products and famous television characters that encourage buyers into consuming unhealthy foods. Research shows that the majority of ads that are targeted for children are food which in totality equals to an astonishing one food commercial every 5 minutes.
Nonetheless it will be confirming to know that this phenomenon has caught the eye of many alike and as a rule many policies are being undertaken in the coming years with the conjunction of health officials and media gurus. Some networks have implemented the provision of “equal time” on messages about fitness and nutrition that contrast or counteract the food ads on these shows. Others have shown interest in banning or eliminating food product placement in children’s programming and cross promotion tactics. These actions whether voluntary or targeted are supporting the decades long unheard voices of child advocates and policymakers. They aim to combine public education with healthy eating promotions and more physical activity and also incorporate the very crucial message of healthy eating in children programming in all source of outlets.
Health Problems associated with Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity causes a wide range of serious complications and can increase the risk of premature illnesses and death later in life. Obese children are at a greater risk of becoming obese adults because a child’s body will create more fat cells when fats are stored (Clayson, 2007). As a result, obese children will have two to five times more fat cells compared to a normal child. As fat cells eventually stop to increase, adults will have a fixed amount of fat cells throughout their lives (Clayson, 2007). For this reason, obese children have bodies that are structured to store fat that is often carried into their adulthood (Clayson, 2007). Therefore, overweight children will find it twice as difficult for them to lose weight.
Obesity can cause a variety of chronic health problems in a child’s life. These include high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma, heart disease, heart attack and diabetes as well as psychological and social problems.
Obese children are at a greater risk to develop diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed among adults (Clayson, 2007). However, obese children are experiencing this condition because of unhealthy process of body sugars. Type 2 diabetes causes the body not to produce enough insulin and causes the cells ignore the insulin, which in turn starves the body's cells for energy (Clayson, 2007). In addition, high blood glucose levels may hurt the kidneys, heart, eyes and organs. Unfortunately, once a child develops type 2 diabetes, he or she will not be cured; instead, they can only be treated (Clayson, 2007). This health problem can also lead to blindness and heart disease. Obese children are much more likely to develop heart disease before the age of thirty and have an increased chance of dying of it when they become middle aged adults (Schoenstadt, 2010). Obese children are also at a much higher risk of developing high blood pressure, which is very dangerous as they mature into adulthood.
Obesity among children can lead to cardiovascular diseases which are caused due to accumulation of fat in arteries (Thompson, 2010). The accumulation of fat proves to be a block for blood circulation and the heart has to pump blood with a greater force, which increases the risk of heart attack. Obese children are also subject to sleep apnea, also known as trouble sleeping, which is a serious breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep (Thompson, 2010). When this happens, obese children are more likely to experience fatigue, headaches, memory loss, and difficulties in learning and concentration. Moreover, obese children are at a higher risk for joint diseases which limit physical activity and result in painful bodily aches. The excess weight of body fat puts a lot of pressure on joints and bones, including the knees, the back, the ankles, and hips (Thompson, 2010).
Apart from physical health problems, obese children may develop various psychological and social problems especially when they are a target of bullying and/or social discrimination from their classmates at school. The psychological and social stigma that is associated with obesity can be more traumatic during childhood and adolescence and it can lead to low self-esteem and depression (McKinney, 2010).
Fighting Childhood Obesity
When it comes to reducing childhood obesity, parents play an important role. It is up to parents to take charge of what their children eat and to guide them in making healthy food choices. Kids should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole-wheat grain products. It is important that parents read labels when buying their groceries and that they learn about what is healthy and what is not so they could pass that information to their kids. Parents need to be a role model for their kids when it comes to having a healthy diet. If parents spoil themselves with junk and fast food, then their kids see nothing wrong with eating those kinds of things. Actions speak louder than words, so if parents eat healthy, then their kids will be more likely to follow. Parents need to teach their kids to make a habit out of eating healthy. To do this, they can prepare and eat together as a family. Parents often order take out or fast food because they are too busy to make a home-cooked meal. That’s understandable, but they need to make time for a family dinner.
Parents need to limit fast food and take out, because too much of that stuff can add a lot of calories. Parents also need to limit soda drinks for their kids, because they contain high amounts of sugar. A can of coke contains about 40 grams (around 9 teaspoons) of sugar (Onecanofsoda.com). Unfortunately, kids would rather reach for a can of coke than a bottle of water when they are thirsty. Also, parents need to make sure they are buying real fruit juice and should avoid “drinks” such as “fruit drink” or “grape drink” because these kinds of juice actually contain little or no real fruit and are composed of sugar and artificial flavors and coloring. When it comes to salt, you can substitute that with other herbs and spices to add flavor. Children love to eat “grab and go” snacks, but unfortunately, the snacks they choose are junk foods such as chips or cookies. These kinds of food need to be treated as “treats” that can be eaten every now and then, but not all the time. They can be replaced with healthy and still tasty snacks like vegetables and dip, homemade popsicles, granola bars, or trail mix. Healthy food doesn’t have to be a “bad” thing for kids. It could be tasty and something to enjoy, rather than forced. Also, studies by the American Journal of Epidemiology have shown that people who eat breakfast have lower rates of obesity. Children who don’t eat a healthy breakfast at home, will often end up buying food once they get to school which may be unhealthy for them.
Eating right is only the first step to fighting obesity. Children also need to remain active. According to the American Heart Association, Children and teens should have partake in at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day (American Heart Association). These 60 minutes don’t have to be continuous, they can be done in parts throughout the day. In order to get children to do physical activity, they must first get off the couch. Parents should limit the amount of time their kids spend on tv, video games, and the computer down to 2-3 hours a day. If your children are competitive, they can join their school sports teams or other organized sports leagues. However, some children might be overwhelmed with organized sports and would rather enjoy time with free play with family and friends. Parents should also spend time playing with their children. They can go for a family walk, bike ride, hiking, skating, etc. Most equipment required for sports are not very expensive either. A ball, jump rope, and Frisbee, are all very cheap. Whatever they are doing, it is important that they enjoy it because if they enjoy it, they will want to continue doing it. With the latest video gaming technology, such as the Nintendo Wii, Playstation Move, and Xbox kinect, children are now able to work out while playing video games. This could be a useful tool in curbing childhood obesity.
Conclusion
We have discussed the factors which lead to childhood obesity. It is due to a combination of poor health choices when eating food and lack of physical activity or exercise. This obesity can cause heart problems, asthma, high blood pressure, and a variety of other problems which usually are not found in children. Being overweight can also affect a child’s ability to get a good night’s sleep which will make them a more stressful person overall and can affect their performance at school. Making sure kids have a proper diet and that they get off the couch and exercise is their parent’s responsibility just as much as it is the kid’s. By being good role models, parents can help their kids adapt a healthier lifestyle. Our communication strategy for spreading awareness of this issue is to use various social media outlets, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube, to campaign the effects of childhood obesity to youth and parents and provide them with ways to live a healthier life.
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